Decisions
by Kesali Ruv
Summary: I'm not too good at summaries. It's mainly about Haru not going through the exit to her world in time and stuff. BaronHaru


I just watched Cat Returns and I absolutely LOVE it. So, I'm writing a fanfic about it now. I hope you like it!

This takes place when Muta threw Haru up and she's running to the exit. No, I do not own Cat Returns.

**Decisions**

Haru ran up the stairs as fast as she could. Her heart pounded in her chest as she sped up the stairs two at a time. Occasionally she would glance down to see how Muta and the Baron were doing in case they were in trouble. Though this time she glanced down, her heart skipped a beat. She hastily stopped running and stared down at Baron.

"Baron!"

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Baron stopped just in time as a sword flew past his face. He glanced up at Haru. Their eyes met. They stared at each other for what seemed the longest time until Muta came up behind Baron.

"Do you need any help?" He asked. The Cat King, through the window across from them was making his way in. Baron looked away from Haru and at the Cat King. He shook his head.

"Take care of Haru," Baron told as he yanked the sword from the wall. Muta began to run up.

"On it." As Muta ascended the stairs Baron looked up once again at Haru. She hadn't looked away at all. She kept watching as he nodded to her once and went through the window next to him taking off his coat and hat. The Cat King was right there following him, sword out.

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Haru wanted to run down to help the Baron. She was just about to when Muta came.

"What do you think you're doing? Your time's about to run out!" Muta yelled as he came up. Haru looked up at her big friend than down at the window where the Cat King and Baron were most likely fighting.

"But what about Baron?" she asked. She didn't want to leave him fighting the Cat King alone. After all that he's done for her, she didn't want to leave.

"He'll be fine. Now let's go!" Muta grabbed her hand and about dragged her up the rest of the way if she hadn't fallen in step with him in time.

Haru and Muta stood at the entrance.

"Go, I'll be right behind you," Muta informed. She reached her hands up to the edge as she lifted herself up. Before she went through she glanced down to see if the Baron had come out through the window. Sure enough he came out putting on his hat and holding his cane. He looked up with a frantic look like something was wrong.

"Go on already!" Muta pushed her up just when she heard Baron call her name.

As she entered the exit and came to her own world she screamed.

"Where am I?" She gripped onto the edges of the exit not wanting to plummet down to the city. She looked around seeing if there was any way to get down, even though she knew there wasn't a way. While doing that, she noticed something that scared her yet sort of made her happy. The sun just came up. She looked over herself to see if she had completely changed into a human. She didn't. The only things that just about changed were that she had hands instead of paws. That's about it. If she could say so herself, she looked like Baron, only a female version instead.

Carefully she stood up wondering if she should jump back into the Cat Kingdom. Turning around to face the exit, she was just about to jump in when she lost her step. She let out a shrill scream as she stumbled backwards and fell.

"Whoa!" Muta came up from the exit and grabbed onto Haru's legs. Haru looked up at Muta happy that she didn't fall all the way, though she was still scared that he might let go for some odd reason.

"Muta, please don't let go!" she cried desperately over the wind.

"I won't!" He yelled back. Using all his strength he hoisted her up over the edge. She held onto him so that she wouldn't fall off. Muta stared down at her seeing that she didn't transform back into a human all the way.

"Why'd you hesitate? Now look at you!" He said. She stared down at the city her cat ears going down. Muta just sighed. "Oh well, what's done is done I guess." Haru looked up at him sad, yet glad.

"Muta! Where's Haru?" Baron pulled himself out from the exit and stood across from them. Haru stared at the Baron and waved.

"Right here." He stared at her for a moment. His shoulders slumped slightly. "I guess we didn't make it in time."

"No, it's not your fault. Besides, I don't mind being a cat or half cat," she reassured. Baron stared at her for a moment as if looking to see if she lied.

"If you say so," he said. Baron glanced down to the city. "Well, how about we get down now." Muta stared at Baron.

"How exactly?" he asked. The Baron glanced at Muta and Haru.

"Like this," he said. Jumping towards them, the Baron pushed himself, Haru, and Muta over the edge. He held onto his hat and cane as they all fell towards the earth. Haru held onto Muta and shut her eyes not wanting to see what was happening.

"AHHH! We're going to die!" She declared.

"No we're not! Trust me!" She opened her eyes and saw that the Baron was right next to her. "Spread your arms!" Haru hesitated before she spread her arms using one hand to hold on to Muta's hand and reaching out to Baron. Baron took her hand and held it tightly. The clouds and wind sped past them. Haru was just about to scream again that they were going to die when a black spiral began to come up from the roof of her school. She stared at it wondering what it could be when it came speeding to them.

Black crows swirled around them slowing their fall until they could walk down to the roof. Toto came flying to them.

"Toto!" Haru called. Toto turned in the sky to fly next to them. One look at Haru he instantly knew what had happened.

"It's good to see you too, Haru. I guess you didn't make it out in time?" He said.

"I think that's fairly obvious birdbrain," Muta pointed out.

"Be quiet fatso," Toto retorted.

"I'm not fat you chicken!" Muta yelled back.

"Toto, Muta, do you think you can settle this a little later? Like after we land?" Baron suggested. Muta gruffed as Toto just kept quiet. Haru laughed inwardly at the two.

Upon landing, Toto, Muta, and the Baron turned back to a new problem.

"Do you think there's a way to turn her back into a human?" Toto wondered. Baron rubbed a hand over his chin.

"I don't really know. But for right now, it seems that Haru might be like this for a while." Haru looked down at her hands and began to feel around her face and head. She had cat ears, whiskers, a furry face and, most likely, body, and a tail. The only features that seemed to be human were her posture, hands, and feet.

"I don't mind if I have to be this way for a while," Haru confessed. She honestly didn't mind. As long as she could stay with the Baron for a little while…

"You better be sure about that decision kid," Muta advised. "Don't go thinking that it's okay now than go complaining about it later."

"What about you parents?" Toto asked. Haru hadn't thought of her mother.

"Oh no… I forgot," Haru looked away for a moment before she suggested something. "Do you think maybe I can tell her where I am and everything?" She knew her suggestion might be a little weird. Going up to her mother saying she's half-cat and she might not be able to change back. Surely her mother wouldn't believe this and think that she's hallucinating or going crazy. But, still, it was better than having her mother worry night and day that her daughter might have been kidnapped and that she'll never see her again. The Baron seemed to have read her mind.

"Yes, it would be better than to have them worrying about you being kidnapped and everything. She might not believe it but still it would be better to at least try," Baron said. Haru smiled and clasped her hands together.

"Okay. Let's go to my house!" She looked around wondering how they would go. There didn't seem a way off the roof without getting some attention from some of her friends and kids at her school. As if to answer her question, Toto leaped off the roof and grabbed onto Muta's outstretched arms. He circled around so that Baron and she could jump on. Haru didn't know if she could jump on Toto or even have the courage to jump. So she stood at the ledge of the roof watching as Toto was just about to come. She took a small step back still thinking it was a bad idea until an arm wrapped around her waist and jumped with her right onto Toto. She looked back and saw the Baron staring straight as Toto beat his wings to keep his passengers up. He glanced down; she looked away with a tinge of pink to her cheeks.

"Right here," she pointed down to her house. Toto flew close to the ground and let go of Muta first before he landed and let Haru and Baron off. Haru stared up the building and knew she wouldn't be able to get up. She'd have to go to her mother's bedroom window in order to contact her.

"Toto, can you fly me up to that window right there?" She indicated the window of her mother's room. He looked up and nodded.

"Sure. Hop on," he said. Haru got on as did the Baron. Toto took a starting jump and flew on up to the window. She looked in and noticed that her mother was just beginning to wake up to the sound of her pig alarm. As the pig alarm went off she saw her mother's arm snake out from under the covers and hit the top of the pig to shut the alarm off. Her arm went back under the sheets as she turned under the covers to catch a little more sleep.

'_So, this is where I get it from…"_ Haru thought. Her mornings often went this way. It made her late for school.

Toto tapped on the window to get the woman's attention while keeping a steady beat to his wings so that he would stay in the about same spot. After a few more loud pecks, Haru's mother picked up her head and stared at the window. She reached over to her side table and grabbed her glasses. She put them on and walked over to the window to get a better look. She stared at the bird before looking to the side to get a look at what was on its back. Her eyes widened seeing what was there. Opening the window she let Toto land on the edge of the window. Baron and Haru stepped off of his back and onto the sill of the window so that her mother could get a good look at her. Her mother stared mouth open at the two creatures standing in front of her. Haru cleared her throat before addressing her mother.

"Mom." Her mother stared down at Haru wondering if she heard right.

"Haru? Is that you?" she asked unbelieving. Haru nodded.

"Yeah, it's me," she answered.

"What happened to you? You're a…" she couldn't- didn't- want to finish the sentence.

"Cat," Haru finished for her. Her mom stared down and went pale.

"Excuse me," called Baron. Haru's mother looked from Haru to Baron.

"I'm Baron Humbert von Gikkingen." Baron bowed politely as he introduced himself. "I have a small question to ask of you." Haru's mother just nodded for him to ask. "Would it be alright if Haru were to live with me and some of my fellow acquaintances?"

Haru stared at him. She was just about to tackle him with a hug but held herself back from the embarrassment that was likely to follow that. Her mother took a moment before she finally came out with a decision.

"I guess so. It'd be hard in this house what with everything being big. On one condition," she said. Baron and Haru waited for her to say it. "She must visit me at least twice a week."

"Of course," Baron agreed. Her mother smiled kindly.

"Good. Thank you." With a few sad goodbyes, Baron and Haru boarded Toto and took off to the Cat Bureau. Muta was taking his time walking over since he didn't want to take a ride from Toto for caution of him "accidentally" dropping him.

By the time they had gotten to the Cat Bureau, it was already the afternoon. And since it had been a very long day they decided to rest the rest of the time. Toto flew to the very top of the small, stone statue and became one himself. Haru stared up at Toto wondering when he would come back alive again.

"Well, Haru, we should better get some rest." Baron stood at the doors of his house waiting for Haru to come over. As she came he pointed her to some doors where a bathroom and her room would be. Grabbing some clothes Baron had found for her she took a long hot shower and walked out dressed in a yellow gown. It wasn't too fancy, but it wasn't too simple either.

'_I wonder where he got this from... Perhaps he already has a girlfriend..."_ She shook her head, ridding herself of those thoughts. Though, maybe, maybe not, he just might have one. She'd ask him some other time. Going through the hallway and into the living/dining/kitchen area she looked around for Baron only to see him standing by the window, stiff as a statuette. That was when she remembered early on, he was a figurine, but with a soul. She walked over to him her hands behind her back. He was standing just as he'd been when she first saw him. His right arm down by his side with his left arm held in front against his chest holding his cane. She watched him with a dreamy look as the sun began to set. He is so cool; handsome… she could list so many things about him that she thought. Baron was everything really. And she liked that, she like him. Maybe not just like but… love? She hoped that he would feel the same way towards her. But that's just it. One can only hope.

Without thinking, she linked her arm with his and leaned her head upon his shoulder. She stared out at the sun as she felt her body stiffen into a figurine like him. Standing there arm in arm, Haru and Baron stared out at the sun as it set into the dark, starry night.

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It's not all that good, but it's something. I hope you liked it. Sure enough there's going to be another story to this that I'll write. Well, thank you for reading it and please leave some nice reviews. 


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